Old Cities, New Challenges

The Getty Conservation Institute is pleased to announce, Old Cities, New Challenges 2018 (OCNC18), the first in a new series of courses for urban conservation in Southeast Asia presented in collaboration with Think City.

Kedah Road, George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Photo: Jeff Cody, 2012

OCNC18’s primary objective is to improve urban conservation practices in Southeast Asian cities by providing participants with a fuller understanding of conservation methodologies and effective, practical tools and techniques for the conservation of historic places in urban contexts. The curriculum for this course derives, in part, from the GCI's previous courses in the region.

Course Content

The course will be highly interactive—formal presentations will be complemented by group discussions and exercises at historic sites in Penang. A values-based approach to heritage conservation will be emphasized. Participants will share their experiences regarding heritage conservation challenges in their respective cities.

Topics to be addressed include:

Examination of international approaches, including Historic Urban Landscape (HUL)

Documentation of tangible and intangible heritage assets, including cultural mapping

Defining cultural significance of historic places, resulting in a statement of significance

Heritage economics, related to cultural capital and sustainability

Infill development in historic areas

Goals, strategies and components of an urban conservation plan, resulting in participants’ drafting a plan for a specific site

Instructors

An experienced team of mentors will share their practical expertise related to the conservation of historic places in urban contexts, including: